Posted on 02/19/2015 3:27:45 PM PST by Jamestown1630
This week, it's Soup and "Bread"
(It's freezing here; and Soup's my favorite thing to cook anyway!)
When I first developed a serious interest in cooking, my favorite cookbooks were the original 'Laurel's Kitchen' and a Shaker cookbook whose name I've forgotten and can't seem to find cited anywhere.
One soup recipe that has stuck with me and remained a favorite is the "Favorite Green Soup" from 'Laurel's Kitchen.' Here is an adaptation of it, a really great soup, very nutritious, with plenty of room for variations.
(In our house, it has the undignified name of 'Green Slime Soup' because it looks like the stuff at the bottom of a creek bed; but don't let that bother you ;-)
Favorite Green Soup
2 T. Olive or other oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 Stalks Celery, diced
6 cups Vegetable Stock
¾ C. split peas, rinsed
6 C. diced Zucchini
1/2 lb. Kale, washed & torn
1 or 2 Bay leaves
1/2 lb. Spinach, washed and torn
¼ C. chopped fresh Parsley
2 tsps. Salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Basil to taste
Opt: Pinch of crushed Red Pepper
Opt: Granulated Garlic
Saute onion and celery in the oil until soft. Add 4 cups vegetable stock, split peas, and bay leaf.
Bring to boil; then lower heat and simmer about 40 minutes, or until the peas are soft. Remove bay leaves.
Add zucchini, remaining stock, and seasonings. Cook until the zucchini is soft, and then add kale and simmer until the kale cooks down. (You may want to add more water or stock here.) Add spinach and parsley and cook until wilted.
Puree in blender, in small batches (hot soup will explode in the blender if you do too much at once.)
Return to medium heat for several minutes; adjust seasonings.
(Granulated garlic and crushed red pepper can be added to taste.)
For the 'Bread', from the Shaker cookbook came a recipe for homemade crackers that have also become a staple:
Whole Wheat Crackers
Preheat oven to 375
2 C. whole wheat Flour
2 tsps. Baking powder
½ tsp. Salt
1 Cup Butter
6 T. Milk
Mix and dry ingredients. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until dough is 'grainy'. (Dough will be stiff.)
On floured surface, roll out to about 1/8 inch thickness and cut into rounds (diamonds are nice, too, for a party.)
Place on greased baking sheet or a parchment- lined sheet. Pierce crackers with fork and bake until golden.
I would sometimes sprinkle sesame seeds on top before baking.
-JT
What’s your favorite soup or other comfort food, when the temperatures are going to record lows?
(and Mr. Beam and Mr. Daniels don’t count ;-)
(If you would like to be on or off of this weekly cooking ping list, please send a private response.)
=JT
I’ve been making a lot of soups lately. Good way to keep busy on these winter weekends, when you have 6-8 hours to kill :)
But that’s what’s neat about it - making soup is a sort of contemplative thing :-)
-JT
Chicken soup is the best, but almost any hot soup will do. It helps keep me warm.
Just made soup tonight: homemade chicken stock, cannolini beans and spinach (onions, carrots, celery and two bay leaves). Utterly delicious with a torn piece of Italian bread.
I cheated today and did she crab soup from a mix. ‘Just added a can of crab. Yummy
Yum!
Here’s my favorite green soup recipe:
Roast broccoli florets on a big baking sheet with olive oil and sea salt and cracked pepper to taste.
Roast at 350-375 for 20-30 minutes until some carmelization shows.
Put into blender with some milk....blend away until consistency and creaminess is what you like and enjoy!!
I usually have to nuke my bowl a little because the milk cools the soup quickly.
I add grated cheddar and a little more pepper.
Being from Louisiana I don’t need warm recipes, oh wait it’s getting down to 30 tonight. Last night it was the 20’s. I hate these cold nights. I guess soup sounds good but I think the pork chops will be better still, and then curl up in my blanket.
Made stock last Saturday. Still had the frozen carcass of the Thanksgiving turkey, and a new chicken carcass. Sauteed both bones and trinity before the crock pot, strained and then reduced on the stove, defatting along the way.
Got it down to five cups for freezing.
Maybe pea, but more likely onion will be the end result.
We always make stock from the turkey carcass. Between our Thanksgiving and Christmas birds, I’ve got about 14-16 cups in the freezer in 2 cup increments. Yum!
When I first developed a serious interest in cooking, my favorite cookbooks were the original ‘Laurel’s Kitchen’ and a Shaker cookbook whose name I’ve forgotten and can’t seem to find cited anywhere.”
I have the old Laurel’s Kitchen and I think I have the Shaker cookbook, too. If I find it I will send the name. It has a name that does not include Shaker but I am pretty sure what it is.
I tend to throw every vegetable in the fridge/freezer into my soup. Chicken/turkey lends itself to that, it seems.
/johnny
Oh, no! Louisiana down to the 20s??? Pork chops are wonderful as is that winter blanket, lol.
I love making broccoli-cheese soup like the ones you can get at places like Quiznos and TGI Friday’s; but I never thought of roasting the broccoli first. I’m going to try that!
-JT
for later checking...
I love homemade chicken Soup. Use a whole chicken boiled down in a mix of water and chicken stock with onions, carrots and celery added for their flavors. Cook until the chicken is falling off the bone. Remove chicken and vegs from broth by straining, saving all the broth and veggies. Shred chicken from the bones. Returning chicken meat to the broth then add any extra veggies you desire. Use for soup or pot pies. I like adding homemade egg noodles if using for soup. Salt & pepper to your taste.
Well, at least you can eat one of the great comfort foods.
Prayers up for you, Dear,
JT
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